Blair Henderson’s hat-trick helped guide The Spartans to a Play-Off Final showdown with Dumbarton following a 1-5 win on the road against Peterhead.

An unchanged starting XI from the first leg made the 320 mile round trip north with a one goal advantage over fellow promotion candidates Peterhead in the seventh meeting between the clubs this season.

Under a Blue Toon blanket of pleasant cloud free sky of the same colour, the sides were welcomed out onto the park by a 947 strong crowd inside Balmoor Stadium, including a noisy contingent from the Capital.

The home support were looking for an early goal to settle the nerves to level the legs however when Peterhead skipper Jason Brown and keeper Stuart McKenzie collided in the box, the ball broke free from the goalie’s grasp and there was Cammy Russell on hand to pick up the scraps to pounce and get his toe onto it ahead of the despairing lunge of Danny Strachan into the net.

An incredible start for the visitors who doubled their overall lead in the competition courtesy of Cammy Russell’s fifth goal against the hosts this season.

Spartans looked to benefit from the breeze behind their back and when Blair Carswell’s long ball up the park found Marc McNulty, his effort saw Stuart McKenzie get down low to his near post to save.

Conor O’Keefe looked to respond and Blair Carswell had to look lively to pull off a fine stop from the edge of the box as the hosts rallied to get back into the tie.

On the half hour mark, Spartans extended their lead.  Kieran Watson sent the ball long into the penalty area to find Paul Watson.  The defender nodded inside to Blair Henderson and the prolific striker headed home from six yards, in what was his third time on the scoresheet in the four visits to Balmoor this term.

The heat looked to have gone to the heads of some when a flashpoint followed a late tackle on Bradley Whyte, resulting in Marc McNulty being shown a yellow for giving his team mate handers.

HT: Peterhead 0-2 The Spartans

Deployment of the Peterhead hairdryer at the interval saw the home side inevitably come out of the traps requiring an immediate response and their early pressure was almost rewarded but for the long legs of Ayrton Sonkur denying a fine run and shot by Jack Brown.

Rory McAllister was up next to test the tourists and his curled effort wasn’t far away from Blair Carswell’s goal frame.

With the hosts pressing, Spartans looked to pounce on the counter and in the 62^nd minute, further light was put between the sides.  As the Peterhead bench claimed the ball had sneaked out of play in front of their noses, Marc McNulty wasn’t waiting for any whistle and raced up the park.  Bradley Whyte showed great pace to progress and when McNulty looked up to square the ball, Whyte took a touch before chipping McKenzie.

Spartans made a change with Sam Jones coming on for Rhys Armstrong.

A glimmer of hope for Peterhead was to come in the 65^th minute and to be fair, it was a stonkingly good strike by Danny Strachan who let fly from the edge of the box and his shot went in off the post, leaving Blair Carswell with little chance.

It’s the hope, they say – and just sixteen seconds after the restart, Spartans were awarded a penalty.  Blair Henderson seeing off the attentions of three men in blue to release Marc McNulty in space.  He rounded the keeper and his shot, destined for the net, was blocked by Jason Brown on the line. 

Unfortunately for the Peterhead skipper, it was with his arm and as he sat in the back of the net, he looked up as Referee Iain Sneddon brandished the red card for his troubles.  Blair Henderson stepped up and sent McKenzie the wrong way to make it 1-4 on the day.

With twenty to go, another set of swaps in personnel saw McNulty and Russell withdrawn, replaced by Jamie Dishington and Danny Denholm.

Then, with twelve minutes left on the clock, Blair Henderson rounded off a fine day with the final goal of the afternoon.  Sam Jones launched the ball up the park from deep. Defender Joe McKee misjudged the trajectory and lost track of Henderson who nipped in behind and he poked the ball beyond McKenzie to send the travelling Spartan Army wild.

In a week where he was crowned SPFL 2 top scorer of the season, it was Henderson’s 10^th hat-trick in Spartans colours and another match ball to add to the collection.  It’s unclear if the striker is seeking planning permission for an aircraft hanger sized building to store the dozens collected across his career so far.

A couple of changes as the game entered its final ten minutes saw Mason McCready replace Blair Carswell between the sticks and Robbie Thompson swapped with Callum Booth.

FT: Peterhead 1-5 The Spartans

Blair Henderson’s injury time spot kick saw The Spartans edge out Peterhead to take a slender one goal advantage to the Blue Toon this weekend in the semi final of the SPFL 1 play-offs.

It was all change in Douglas Samuel’s team selection from the side that defeated East Fife, with teen starlet Niall Geany retaining his spot on the bench.

A guard of honour was in place for the Spartans squad as they took to the park to warm up, with a plethora of the Spartans Youth kids in attendance, along with mascot Sparry the Squirrel.

Spartans looked to set out their stall early however the visitors weren’t up for offering any scraps to feed off, unlike the gargantuan sized seagulls who were swooping for savouries throughout.

A half chance for Bradley Whyte inside the box was stuck under his soles and this season’s Player of the Year was just unable to get enough purchase on his shot to trouble the keeper.

The ball was subsequently cleared up the park and from there, the visitors took a 7^th minute lead as Blair Carswell raced out to cut down the attack, he was stranded on the edge of the box and with the fear of utilising his hands the wrong side of the whitewash, he was lobbed by Connor O’Keefe and the ball landed in the empty net.

Ayrton Sonkur became the first of ten players booked after an off the ball altercation with Shanks.

Marc McNulty was next to try his luck after determined play by Blair Henderson who made his way into the box to slide a pass into the path of ‘Sparky’ however his effort was blocked.

That reprieve lasted a full two minutes for Peterhead as Spartans drew level.

A long throw from Cammy Russell was nodded into the path of McNulty who once again had his shot blocked. It came back out to Russell who sent it back with interest and it found Paul Watson hovering around the six yard box for a side footed equaliser.

An almighty collision in the middle of the Spartans half saw Callum Booth require the magic sponge as Cagney and Lacey of the physio world in the shape of Sophie and Mairi raced on to offer treatment.

After the mayhem came the inevitable lull in proceedings, save for the odd booking or two as the sides continued to seek an opportunity to get their nose in front ahead of the break.

HT: The Spartans 1-1 Peterhead

If the start of the second half was a cartoon character, it would be Scooby Doo’s mischievous nephew.  Scrappy it was with free-kicks and long hoofs the order of the day, perhaps a reflection as to what is at stake.

Blair Carswell then had to look lively as his legs were called into action to save a fierce McKee shot and the scores remained level.

Midway through the half, the best opportunity since the oranges came when Cammy Russell was unceremoniously hauled to the ground as he raced towards the penalty box.  Up stepped James Craigen who lifted the free-kick over the wall however the keeper was on hand – literally – to scoop the ball away from the top corner destination.

One of the biggest cheers of the evening came shortly after when the Referee went Archibald over Elbow.  In the hilarity that ensured, Ayrton Sonkur clearly decreed that the match official was guilty of simulation and flashed the yellow card that had spilled out of the Ref’s pocket in his direction.  Smiles all round and back to the action we all went.

Jamie Dishington then came on for the industrious James Craigen as the game entered its final stages.

Then came the drama.  Ayrton Sonkur looked to have been cuddled to the ground inside the six yard box from an in-swinging corner, then Blair Henderson crashed the ball against the crossbar.  As the SPFL 2’s top scorer went in search of another to add to his tally, a high boot came close to colliding with his beak, enough for the Ref to decree foul play and the finger firmly pointed towards the spot.

After much hullabullo and a ball booted into a different postcode by the Peterhead keeper, Blair Henderson stepped up and with an air of calmness in the pressure tank of the play-offs, he slotted the ball into the back of the net.

With the sands of injury time almost done in the egg timer of added minutes, the visitors were incandescent with rage following a non award of a penalty of their own.  Frustrations spilled after the final whistle, which came immediately after the incident with the yellow card working overtime.

FT: The Spartans 2-1 Peterhead

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Paul Watson

The Spartans completed their 36 game long inaugural season in SPFL 2 with a win in Methil against Dick Campbell’s East Fife.

With one eye on the impending play-off semi final first leg in midweek against Peterhead, Gaffer Dougie Samuel rung the changes with only Jamie Dishington, Ayrton Sonkur and Marc McNulty remaining in the starting XI that drew 2-2 seven days previously against, yup, Peterhead.

Player development continues to be a focus within the Academy Pathway programme, with four of the current Under 20s squad, Archie Wylie, Given Ndlovu, Niall Geany & Jake Cunningham eager to make their SPFL debuts from the bench.

With home advantage already secured, Spartans headed into the game with various permutations still in play in terms of who Tuesday’s opponents would be.

The opening fifteen minutes had a degree of end of season malaise about them, none more so than the actions of the Ball Boy who decided after pulling back the rusty steel door to check on the whereabouts of an Ayrton Sonkur wall clearing exit, that the ball had gone beyond the realms of probability of recovery.

Sean Brown warmed the hands of the travelling Spartan Army when he pulled out a fine turn and shot on the edge of the box.  He looked on as the keeper scrambled across his line to ensure it went wide.

East Fife then had the ball in the net however it was disallowed for handball.  Then it looked a stick-on for the opener seconds before the interval when Scott Shepherd had a glorious opportunity, only for Sam Newman to somehow recover, stick out his derriere and block the shot on his goal line.

HT: East Fife 0-0 The Spartans

A brace of changes at the break saw Kevin Waugh and Ayrton Sonkur stay in for first dibs on the soap on a rope and they were replaced by Kieran Watson and making his senior debut, Niall Geany.

Inspired substitution or otherwise, it took just 60 seconds after the restart for Spartans to take the lead.  James Craigen on hand in the box to put in the shot which may have suffered from a deflection before hitting the net but they all count.

Mason McCready needed to look lively in an otherwise uneventful opening half when he was forced into a tremendous stop to maintain the narrow lead.

Then, just ten minutes after the restart, the scores were level.  Momentum from the men in Methil saw them seeking another, however some resolute defending, including a crucial block by Geany kept the Fifers at bay.

A double change was to follow midway through the half and it offered further SPFL debuts for Archie Wylie (his first senior game) and Given Ndlovu.

There followed a couple of crazy moments afterwards with the home bench incandescent with rage at the refusal of a spot kick after big shouts rung out of the stand and technical area.  Meanwhile at the other end, Sam Jones was upended and Jamie Dishington’s free-kick went over the bar.

Dishington was then forced into a headed cleared from under his own crossbar to keep the scores all square as the home side looked to end their home campaign on a high.

With ten minutes left on the clock, Spartans made their final change, with youngster Jake Cunningham – yup, another SPFL debutant – slotting in at the back, replacing Jamie Dishington.

Fortune then favoured the brave as Mason McCready leapt for a deep cross into his box  and was clattered in the process.  It first looked like a “rub em or count em” scenario as he fell to the deck in some pain, however it transpired later the contact was more of a rib tickler instead.

The game looked as if it was heading for a share of the spoils in Methil however when Sean Brown’s pass split the East Fife defence who were higher than the octaves on a Jimmy Sommerville LP, pacey Archie Wylie latched onto the ball and raced towards the goal.

With the keeper advancing to the boundaries of this box, Wylie showed maturity beyond his 16 years, 11 months and 26 days to square the ball to Robbie Thompson to slide home into the empty net, scoring his first ever senior goal.

The travelling Spartan Army were on their feet, parents looked like they’d been peeling onions, it was a moment to saviour.

Spartans then played out the final five or so minutes with ten men as substitute Given Ndlovu went lame after a tangle of legs over on the touchline, forcing the youngster to hobble back to the sheds and with only Blair Carswell left on the bench, no changes were to be made.

FT: East Fife 1-2 The Spartans

Malt and Hops Man of the Match: Sam Jones